Truth behind the Fatigue
by OblivionWings
Summary: Ash and Gary came back to their hometown out of coincidence. The brunet thought that he could never be able to recieve the same feelings he had for Ash, but lets just say the results for him are quite a surprise. Small fluff at the end of the story. Palletshipping ONE-SHOT!
**Just a small Palletshipping one-shot I've thought of during the night. Enjoy!**

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"Take that!

"Woah you little..."

When a certain brunet and Pikachu's trainer suffers from insomnia, all they love to do since they're small was to throw pillows at each orher. Even though both of them had already reached 18, it was still an activity that they enjoyed no matter what.

Ash had just came back from Kalos alone and he decided to take a break back in his hometown. To his surprise, Gary had just finished a big research project in Unova and therefore came back at the same day out of coincidence.

"Gary, all the feathers are flying around and it makes me want to- _Achoo_!" Ash dropped his pillow and made a sudden sneeze.

"Funny, Ash. After all this time I'm still ahead of you at everything you've done." Gary replied with a sly grin. It was almost 2 years since they havent met each other and he could never admit that he'll never get bored with doing anything with Ash. That energetic and positive attitude had always made the brunet feel alive more than ever. He wished that the trainer wouldnt leave towards other regions like he did before. It wrenched his heart knowing from Ash's mom that he had left into a new region whenever he randomly came back to Kanto for only a week or so.

Before Gary could delve deeper and daydream about his past, Ash's deep voice pulled him back towards reality

"Gary, what's wrong?" The pikachu trainer waved in front of him innocently, trying to catch his attention.

"Oh um, its nothing." Gary replied bluntly, walking his way towards his bed that was covered with a neatly placed blanket.

 _'I doubt he even recognises the feelings I've kept for a long time.'_ The brunet thought to himself. The chances of him meeting Ash is as rare as finding a Rayquaza, yet he was too pathetic to confess it when the black-haired trainer took the intiative of having a sleepover with him.

They were just having fun a minute ago. How possibly could things turned into this awkward in a blink of an eye? Gary feared of losing the best friend he have if he spilled the secrets that was strongly wrapped around his heart for a long time. He wasnt willing to take the risk for it and he knew he couldnt bear the pain. Unknowingly, he took the memento he once shared with Ash from his pocket and stared at it with a blank gaze.

Ash merely frowned at the sight in front of him, wondering what was he thinking behind the too-obvious facade. He then eventually took a seat beside Gary and his eyes widened at the object his ex-rival held on his semi-closed fist.

"You still kept the broken pokeball after all these years? Wow Gary, cant believe you changed that much though."

Gary laughed at the trainer's obvious sarcasm. His eyebrows were no longer furrowed together and pulled a slight, sincere smile on his face.

"Yeah." Turning back his gaze towards Ash, he realised that the teen in front of him was blushing a little.

' _H-He smiled? I was expecting a full comeback from him, but... Ughhh. This is too embarassing! He looks much cooler with a smile instead of a smirk though.'_

"I'm glad you still treasured the only memento between us." Ash broke the short silence with a silly grin. The feeling was just as if he had defeated a gym leader; relieved and satisfied.

Before Gary could speak, Ash continued on,"When I realised that you're coming back on the same day I decided to take a break from Kalos, I felt like my soul had just turned upside-down. Two years. Its been two years since we've last met, Gary." He fiddled with his black T-shirt, feeling nervous and sad at the fsct that he had just spoken. "You had no idea how I was dying to see you again during my Sinnoh journey. Unfortunately, fate had been toying with us also when I've came back from both Sinnoh and Unova, but guess what, I was totally not prepare for this;seeing that you're right here in my very own eyes. I-"

Ash couldnt stop his tears from dripping down onto his face as he kept sobbing to himself. Gary pulled him towards a tight hug for comfort. He had no idea that Ash was able to handle all these feelings towards himself that the trainer kept for such a long time and he felt guilty about wasnt able to return to Kanto during those times, considering he was still an amateur in about more than a year ago and kept himself very busy on research.

While the pair shared a comfortable silence, Ash rubbed his eyes and his breathing was gradually calmed down by the warmth.

"I missed you a lot, Gary. Can you stay at Pallet Town for just a while?"

Emerald eyes gazed at the brown ones in front of him. The brunet gave a firm nod, caressing his soon-to-be boyfriend's soft hair that had just been washed an hour ago. After a while, Gary pulled away from Ash and gave a peck on his forehead instead. Bringing his face close to him, he whispered an answer that Ash was hoping for eternity.

"I'll do anything for you, Ashy. I love you."

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 **For those who thought Ash was too OOC, let me remind you that he was 18 for gods sake. Who wouldnt mature for exactly 8 years, seriously? Anyway, im sorry if there was any grammar mistakes and any imperfections that I might have caused.**


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